Friday, 13 July 2012

Miss Teen Manawatu 2012

Hello, I just got back from Miss Teen Manawatu Final Night. I really enjoyed watching it, especially when my friend Brittany got into the top 6 finalist and my former classmate Charlotte won the Miss Teen Crown. Overall a great night. At the very beginning, when my friends were trying to get me to do Miss Teen, I thought "There's no freaking way that I'm going to stand up there, smiling like a plastic doll and let the people judge me on my appearance then compare me to other girls." Because A. Pretty is definitely not one of the first word that I describe myself and B. I don't have the money to fake it and C. I didn't get why in the world would you pay $365 (not to mention the hair, make up, ball gown,..) for some one else to judge you not on your talent but your appearance. I thought a competition like this is so superficial and demeaning. But then when it started, as I watched and helped Brittany and Becca to doll up, be pretty, and how confidence they were. Then I also got dolled up to go to the Cocktail Night. It was so much fun!!! It really did changed my opinion on Beauty Pageants. But as the competition coming to a close, cracks started to appear. Cracks of being pushed too hard, money, expectations, circumstances, jealousy, loyalty, desperation, confidence... These are the cracks that only the people who are close to the contestants could see but cant speak up about so we can only try to cover them up.After the show I was talking to someone I know and they said "It was a fun to watch, not to be in it though". I couldn't agree more. It is so easy to get sucked into all that glam and glitter.The former Miss Teen, the MC, the judges, the coordinators all pretty much describe the competition as a way to help to build confidence and learn important life skills. Not really. Well maybe, for the ones who won something. Because, this is the opinion of the people who got it good, so they have to make it sound good to the rest of us. But what important life skills? Foundation goes before concealer? Or always stand with one feet in front of the other? And how can the non winner build their confidences when they're being told non-directly that they are not as pretty, not as photogenic, do not have as much potential, aren't dressed as nicely or have uglier hair compared to other contestants (it's even worse if they're your friends)? How can they be confident when all their efforts resulted a zero. This is why only the winner gets to give speeches, it's like in History: all war books are written from the winner's point-of-view. And if the non-winners speak up on how they actually feel, they'll probably be called 'sore loser'. But they can't help it feeling sad, it's the human nature. I do applause all the contestants though, for being brave enough to enter this competition, it is definitely not an easy thing to put yourself out there (obviously I failed). Please do bear in mind when you read this is that this is my personal opinion. From someone who witnessed, not a loser or a winner. And I am definitely NOT forcing my opinion on anyone, you can take as much or as little of this post as you want, or non at all. Again, congratulation to all the contestants.Moosh x